Malden OvMalden Overcoming Addiction Fundraiser Vol. 20, No. 22 -FREE- www.advocatenews.net Published Every Friday City’s annual Memorial Day Parade and Ceremony honors Malden’s fallen 617-387-2200 ercoming Addiction Fundraiser see page 5 Friday, May 31, 2019 rida May 31, 2019 Finance Committee recommends bond to rehabilitate Roosevelt Park By Barbara Taormina he plan to rehabilitate Roosevelt Park was back on the agenda this week. A proposal to borrow $1.45 million for the project and repay the loan over 10 years with Community Preservation funds was approved by members of the Finance Committee except for Ward 4 Councillor Ryan O’Malley, who voted present. The loan and $250,000 that T Girl Scout Troop 71139 led everyone in the Pledge of Allegiance at Forest Dale Cemetery on Memorial Day. See pages 12 and 13 for photo highlights. MaldenCORE charts a path toward racial equity By Barbara Taormina M embers of a volunteer group committed to promoting racial equity and inclusion in Malden were at the City Council meeting this week with a powerful but troubling presentation of their organization and its work. Bridget Mutebi, Rachel Sorlien and Erga Pierrette spoke about the history of Malden Community Organizing for Racial Equity (MaldenCORE) and the group’s mission and specific strategies to confront racism and systemic bias, particularly within the city’s school district. The group is advoAs part of its work, MaldenCORE hosts Fourth Wednesday Conversations, a monthly dialog at the Senior Center where residents discuss racial discrimination, bias and other issues aff ecting the city’s diverse community. (Advocate Photo by Barbara Taormina) cating for more training for teachers and staff , a process to report incidents of racism and bias and a commitment from the school department to hire more teachers and staff of color. $2.55 GALLON Sorlien, a fi rst-grade teacher at Forestdale School, explained that MaldenCORE was formed in 2017 in the wake of the city’s CommuniEQUITY | SEE PAGE 14 the Community Preservation Committee (CPC) already provided to jumpstart the project, will cover most of the work needed to renovate the park. But the Malden Redevelopment Authority’s rehabilitation plan calls for a synthetic turf fi eld which is ineligible for community preservation funding. The $610,000 turf fi eld, which has triggered vocal opposition among some Salemwood School families, teachers and neighbors, will be paid for with a donation from a private foundation. “The Malden CPC worked hard to vet all applications, we asked the hard questions and recommended projects that will benefi t the community,” said CPC Chair Julianne Orsino, who was at the Finance Committee meeting. “I'm happy that the City Council came to the same conclusion and accepted all of our recommendations.” The loan that the Finance Committee voted to support this week was for site work, a drainage system, fences, dugouts, benches, an outdoor classroom for Salemwood students and other park improvements not related to the synthetic turf. But the discussion among the Finance Committee focused on the artificial fi eld. Stephen O’Neill, the city’s engineering consultant for the project, explained that the site, grading, condition of the fi eld, the current use and the expected future use make Roosevelt Park a candidate for synthetic turf. “After considering all those factors … the most effective way to rehabilitate the fi eld would be with a synthetic turf fi eld system with crumb rubber and sand fi ll,” he said. Patrick Maguire, a landscape architect with extensive experience with synthetic turf who is advising the city on the turf option, addressed the health and safety concerns raised by residents who worry about exposing kids, particularly younger kids at Salemwood, to crumb rubber fill made from recycled tires. Maguire gave detailed descriptions of some of the research done on the eff ects of exposure to crumb rubber and stressed that there are “zero scientific peer-reviewed studies” that have found a health risk from synthetic turf. But turf opponents have said the research has been limited and results from a multiyear study on crumb rubber spearheaded by the Environmental Protection Agency and the REHABILITATE | SEE PAGE 9 Our 80th Year EDUCATION Next Classes DRIVER 2 Week Night Classes One Week Day Class CALL - ENROLL or Register Online 617-387-9121 HENRYSAUTOSCHOOL.COM AUTO SCHOOL E EVERETT A “Successful Key To Driving” Since 1938 Gift Certificates Available
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